US Airlines Cave to China, Drop References to Taiwan’s Independence

White House slams Chinese demand as Orwellian

Major US airlines caved to China’s demand to change how they list Taiwan as an independent country on their booking websites in a move the White House described as “Orwellian nonsense.”

As of this writing, booking sites of American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines only use Taipei’s airport code and city instead of direct references to Taiwan as a country.

“United Airlines has begun to roll out changes to its systems to address China’s requirements,” said a United Airlines spokesman. “United abides by and respects local laws and regulations in all markets and jurisdictions where we operate and conduct business.”